Quirke Breaks Irish Junior Record

Quirke Breaks Irish Junior Record
Irish-American adds name to country's record book for second time this season.

April 7, 2009



NORMAN, Okla. — While Colin Quirke hasn’t been making a name for himself in the Oklahoma record books as he redshirts the 2009 season, the freshman from Los Gatos, Calif., has been writing his name atop the Irish record books throughout the season. Quirke, who holds dual Irish-American citizenship, broke a 22-year old Irish Junior National discus record Saturday with a throw of 181-2 (55.23) as an unattached athlete at the Oklahoma Christian Ray Vaughn Track Classic.

Quirke’s throw shattered the previous record of 165-5 (50.42) set by Nick Sweeney in 1987. For Quirke, Saturday’s Irish Junior national record marked the second of 2009 after accomplishing the feat in the indoor shot put with a throw of 61-6.25 (18.75).

In his Irish career, Quirke has also shattered his own father’s national youth records in the shot put and discus at the 2007 Ireland National Youth Championships with throws of 62-9.25 (19.13) and 173-2 (52.80), respectively. Quirke competed in the 2007 World Youth Championships as a member of the Irish National Team where he finished eighth in the shot put and extended his own Irish youth record with a distance of 63-5 (19.33).

Quirke’s father, Paul, has held the Irish outdoor shot put record for 17 years with a throw of 65-9.00 (20.04) and the indoor shot put record for 18 years with a distance of 59-3.50 (18.07).

Courtesy Oklahoma University